Power-transmission mechanism.



- E. A. NELSON.

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. 1912. 1,163,%. Patented Dean 14, 1915.

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E. A. NELSON.

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4. I9I2.

1,16,.M. Patented Dec.14, 1915.

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EMIL A. NELSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR-TO HUPP MOTOR CARCOMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

POWER-TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 19115.

Application filed February 14, 1912. Serial No. 677,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL A. NELSON, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPower-Transmission Mechanism, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlngs.

The invention relates to power transmission mechanisms beingparticularly designed for use in motor vehicles.

It is the primary object of the invention to obtain a compactarrangement of mechanism and one in which the longitudinal dimension isreduced to the minimum.

It is a further object to simplify the construction and with theseobjects in View the invention consists in the construction ashereinafter set forth.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a vertical section through a deviceembodying my invention in the plane of the crank shaft; Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section through the transmission gearing in the plane of thetransmission shaft; and Fig. 3 is a view partly in section of the brakemechanism.

A is the engine crank case, B is the crank shaft j ournaled therein, Cis the fly wheel at the end of the crank shaft and beyond which thetransmission gearing is located. The housing for all of these parts ispreferablv formed integral with the crank case A and as shown anenlarged portion D of said case forms the housing for the fly wheel andthe transmission gearing.

To reduce the length of the mechanism the main clutch is arrangedwithinthe fly wheel and is operated by mechanism extending but slightlybeyond the plane of the fly wheel. Thus the variable speed gearing is inclose proximity to the fly wheel and the whole structure is shortened.

In detail E is the transmission shaft which is stepped into theend ofthe engine crank shaft B and is provided with an antifriction ballbearing therein. To this end the crank shaft is provided with a flangedenlargement F recessed for the ball bearing G and having the fly wheel Csecured to its flange by bolts C. The enlarged portion F of the crankshaft is cut to form a sprocket or gear F which is utilized for drivingthe valve cam shaft H and may also drive a magneto I mounted on the topof the fly wheel housing. Thus by forming the sprocket wheel F andflanged enlargement F integral with the crank shaft these parts arecondensed in length to a much greater extent than would be possible ifseparately made.

The main clutch of the transmission is preferably of the disk type andconsists of the alternately arranged parallel annular disk members J andJ, 'the former being anchored to the fly wheel by bolts or studs J 2 andthe latter being keyed to a disk member K having a peripheral flange K.There is also a clamping plate member L which is anchored by the boltsor studs J to rotate with the fly wheel and has the annular bend Ltherein providing clearance for the flange K of the member K.- Thesemembers K and L are preferably sheet metal stampings, and each isprovided with a central hub portion, which portions are con centricallyarranged one about the other.

M is ,a pinion member which surrounds the driven shaft E and preferablyis rotatively mounted thereon by the roller bearing N. A portion of theteeth of this pinion member M are cut-away to receive the hub K of themember K, which hub is fluted to engage the remaining portion of theteeth, thereby keying the member K to the pinion.

O is a member sleeved about the hub portion K and intermediate the sameand the hub portion L of the member L. This member 0 is provided with anoutwardly extending flange O and with one or more inwardly extendinglugs O for engaging the grooves between the teeth of the pinion M to berotatively connected therewith, while permitting an independentlylongitudinal sliding movement. The hub memberL is provided at its outerend wlth an outwardly extending flange L parallel to the flange O, whichflange L is engaged by a shifting mechanism of the followingconstruction: P is a grooved collar member embracing the flange L of themember L on both sides thereof and being formed in two sections securedtogether by bolts P, which permits of assembling the parts. The collarmember P is provided with ears P which are pivotally engaged by the endsof a bifurcated lever Q. This lever is fulcrumed upon a pin or shaft Qwhich engages an alined aperture in a member R mounted upon the end of arod or shaft R secured in bearings 'S and S in the housing for thetransmission gearing. The furcations of the lever Q unite at their outerends and form a bearing Q which is engaged by a 'push rod T also mountedin the bearings S by the tension of springs J 3 sleeved upon the studs Jthe arrangement being such that the tension for engaging the clutch isfurnished by the springs J 3 and the pressure is released by a movementof the member L against the tension of said springs when actuated by thelever Q, collar P and flange L The member R is provided with inwardlyextending arms R which support an annular member R arranged parallel to.the flanges L and 0 but separated therefrom sufiiciently adjustment ofthe memberL. When however, the member L is retracted to its limit thecollar P will bear against the flange O of the member 0 and will pressthe latter against the annular member R with the result that the lattermember being non-rota tive will act as a brake shoe for arresting therotation of the flange 0. As the member 0 is keyed to the pinion-M bythe lugs 0 and as the member K is also keyed to said pinion by theengagement of its fluted hub with the 'stilbs of the cut-away teeth, itis evident that the braking of the flange 0 will arrest rotary movementof both the pinion M and the member K.

The construction above-described is one which reduces the longitudinaldimension of the clutch and its actuating mechanism to the minimum;first, by arranging the shifting lever Q and its fulcrum member R in thesame plane; second, by the concentric arrangement of the hub members Land K and the intermediate sleeve member O; and third, by the annularbead or struck out ortion L in the member L which provides clearance forthe flange K and permits of placing the members L and K closer to eachother. These various features combined with each other, as well as Whereused in connection with the novel construction of the member F forattaching the fly wheel,

produces an exceedingly compact arrangement of parts with the minimumlongitudinal dimension.

The fulcrum member R and the brake to provide for the normal range ofshoe R carried thereby, may be adjusted in relation to the other membersof the mechanism by the longitudinal adjustment of the rod or shaft R,which latter is threaded at its outer end and is engaged by an adjustingnut R for shifting it longitudinally.

The variable speed gearing is arranged adjacent to the clutch mechanismjust described and comprises shiftable gear wheels U and U featheredupon the shaft E and operated by forks V upon shifting rods V. There isalso provided a counter shaft W parallel to the shaft E upon which ismounted the three differential gears W, W and W. The first of these isengageable with the pinion U in one of the positions of adjustment ofthe latter, said pinion also having an internal gear U for clutching onto the pinion M in the opposite position of adjustment. The gear wheel Uis engageable with the gear wheel W and a space is provided between thegear wheels W and W for the gear wheel U when out of mesh. The gearwheel W is used in connection with the gear wheel U and a reversingpinion (not shown) to produce the reverse drive. In addition to thepinions W, W

and-W the shaft W has secured thereto, a gear wheel W which is inconstant mesh with the pinion M so that whenever rotary movement isimparted to the latter the shaft W and all of the gears W, W and W willbe driven. Differential movement is then communicated to the drivenshaft E by a shifting of the gear wheels U and U or by throwing the gearwheel U into mesh with the pinion M, the shaft E is driven at enginespeed.

By reason of the condensed construction there is not suflicient spacefor all of the pinions W W and W together with suitable bearings for theshaft W. An ad ditional length of bearing isobtained by extending itbeneath the flange of the gear wheel W and in close proximity to the webof said wheel. This bearing X is preferably a roller bearing mounted ina stationary bearing X formed integral with the housing and a similarbearing X is arranged at the opposite end of the shaft.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a clutch, a driven member formed of a sheet metal stamping havinga fluted hub, means for driving said member, and a pinion engaging theflutes of said hub and secured thereto.

2. In a clutch, a driven member formed of a sheet metal stamping havinga fluted hub, means for driving said member, a pinion having a portionof its teeth cut-away to form a shield for the end of said hub, theremaining portions of the cut-away teeth engaging the flutes of the hub.

3. In a clutch, a driven member formed of a sheet metal stamping havinga fluted member and provided with an outwardly extending flange, anon-revoluble collar em-.

bracing said flange, a non-revoluble annular member adjacent to thefirst mentioned flange, and means for adjusting said collar to releasesaid clamping member and to clamp the flange on the intermediate sleevemember between said collar and said nonrevoluble annular member.

4. In a clutch, a pinion, a driven member having a hub portion sleevedupon said pinion and secured thereto, a clamping member for said drivenmember for actuating the latter, having an actuating flange surroundingsaid hub, a collar engaging said flange for releasing said clampingmember, a non-revoluble annular member paral lel to said collar andspaced therefrom, a member longitudinally adjustably sleeved upon saiddriven member intermediate the same and the flange of said clampingmember and provided with a lug or key for engagement with the teeth ofsaid pinion, and

an outwardly extending flange intermediate therefrom, and a flangerevoluble with said driven member and longitudinally adustable inrelation thereto, extending intermediate said collar and non-revolubleannular member and clamped therebetween in the released position of theclutch to'form a brake for retarding said driven member.

6. In a clutch, the combination with a driven member and a clampingmember for actuating the driven member,.of a flange on said clampingmember, a grooved collar engaging said flange, a non-revoluble annularmember parallel to said collar and flange, a flange revoluble with saiddriven member and independently longitudinally a djustably arrangedbetweensaid collar and non-revoluble annular member and clamped therebyin the released position of the clutch.

- 7. In a clutch, the combination with a driven member provided with ahub, a revolving clamping member for actuating the driven member, havinga hub surrounding the hub of said driven member and provided with anoutwardly extending flange, a grooved collar engaging said flange, anonrevoluble annular member parallel with said grooved collar andflange, a member sleeved between the hub and said driven member andclamping member revoluble with the former and independentlylongitudinally adjustable, said sleeve member having an outwardlyextending flange between .saidcollar and non-revoluble annular memberand clamped thereby in the released position of the clutch.

8. A clutch, comprising a disk-shaped drive member, a series of annularalternately arranged drive and driven disks, a stud for 7 connectingsaid drive disks with said drive member, a comparatively flatdisk-shaped driven member having an outwardly extending peripheralflange for coupling the same with said driven disks, and a comparativelyflat disk-shaped clamping member having an annular groove for providingclearance for said peripheral flange.

9. The combination with a fly wheel, of a clutch therein compris ng aseries of annular alternately arranged drive and driven disks, acomparatively flat driven member formed of a sheet metal stamping havingan out wardly extending peripheral flange for coupling the same withsaid driven disks, a comparatively flat clamping member also formed of asheet metal stamp arranged parallel with said driven member and havingan annular grooved bead formed therein for providing clearance for saidperipheral flange.

10. ,The combination with a fly wheel having an overhanging peripheralflange, of an axially arranged driven pinion within said fly Wheel, anda clutch comprising a driven member formed of a sheet metal stampinghaving a fluted hub for engaging the teeth of said pinion and alsohaving an outwardly extendingdisk-shaped portion parallel with andadjacent to the hub of said fly wheel and an outwardly extendingperipheral flange, a series of drive and driven friction disks betweensaid peripheral flange on the clutch driven member and the rim of thefly wheel, a clutch clamping member formed of a sheet metal stampinghaving a hub portion sleeved upon the hub of said driven member with anoutwardly extending actuating flange, the body portion of said clampingmember being parallel to said driven member and web of the flv wheel andhaving a grooved bead for providing clearance for the peripheralflangeof said driven member.

11. In a clutch, the combination with a clamping member, of anon-revoluble actuating collar therefor, a bifurcated lever embracingsaid collar and pivotally engaging the same, a fulcrum for said leverintermediate the furcations thereof, a non-'revoluble annular memberparallel with said collar mounted on said fulcrum, and a drivenmember'having a flange arranged between said collar and non-revolubleannular member and clamped thereby to form a brake, said driven memberbeing actuated through said clamping member. p

12. The combination with a fly Wheel and an axially alined driven shaft,ofa housing inclosing said members, a clutch Within said fly Wheelcomprising a clamping member, a

collar for actuating said clamping member, a bifurcated lever embracingsaid driven shaft and pivotally' engaging said collar, a push rod foractuating said lever slidably mounted in said housing, a fulcrum forsaid lever arranged intermediate the furcations thereof, a rod on whichsaid fulcrum is mounted extending longitudinally of said housing andadjustable from outside thereof.

13. In a clutch, a driven member having a fluted hub, means for drivingsaid member, a pinion engaging the flutes of the hub,

shaft, a fly-Wheel secured to said crankshaft,-

a pinion revolubly mounted upon said transmission shaft within saidfly-Wheel, a-clutch Within said fiy-wheel having its driven membersecured to said pinion, and a clamping member sleeved thereabout andconnected to said fly-Wheel, and actuating mechanism for thelast'mentioned member. I

15. A clutch comprising alternately arranged driving and driven disks, adriven member to Which said driven disks are keyed formed of a sheetmetal stamping and having a fluted hub, a pinion engaging said hub, aclamping member revolubly sleeved upon said fluted hub, and actuatingmeans for said clamping member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

EMIL A. NELSON. WVitnesses:

FRANK E. WATTS,

GRANVILLE C. ALDRICH.

